Six of one, half a dozen of the other
I tried to film this Thursday night on the regular camera but the footage I got came out too dark when I downloaded it. However, observing the whole scenario, even in low level light showed exactly what was happening.
After giving the boys had eaten their biscuits, there was a short period where they both appear to start settling down, then Epic suddenly lunged with a snarl at Angus' cage. He then circled around and looked out of the front of the cage (which is what I saw) and seemed rather agitated. About 15 seconds later, Angus starts growling. Initially he's against the far side of his crate from Epic then he lays down in the middle of the crate and continues growling, which gradually decreases in intensity over several minutes. He looks quite calm except he is growling!
The following morning this same thing happened for the first time when they had finished their morning meal. Other than this, the two seemed to be getting on fine. Oddly, there is never a problem when they are left. They are each given a biscuit and I go, but considering they are both loose in the living room there are no squabbles - so it is something just connected with being crated side by side. I still have no idea why Epic suddenly started this lunging, nor why it should be played out in such a ritualistic way each time.
Looking at a solution; moving the crates apart would create new problems as all the dogs automatically go to their own areas - as I discovered when I lost Yogi. I tried to move the remaining two crates into the corner where Yogi's had been but the dogs were still going automatically to the original position of their crates. In the end I had to fill the awful empty space with boxes.
I found a large thick doormat and managed to slide it between Epic's and Angus' crates as a more physical barrier than the blanket. I also broke the pattern of the nightly routine by doing things in a different order and leaving the light on and the covers up until the dangerous period had passed. So far last night that worked and there was no skirmish or growling, hopefully none tonight.
So in the end it apparently turned out to be just a strange fracas between the two - although so odd that it followed the same very consistent pattern every time. I have no idea why it started up either but hopefully breaking the pattern will nip this in the bud. All little fragments that I saw didn't make sense but seeing the whole thing at least revealed exactly what was going on - even if why still remains a mystery.
Thank you for all your suggestions and interest in the Case of the Grr in the Night.
I tried to film this Thursday night on the regular camera but the footage I got came out too dark when I downloaded it. However, observing the whole scenario, even in low level light showed exactly what was happening.
After giving the boys had eaten their biscuits, there was a short period where they both appear to start settling down, then Epic suddenly lunged with a snarl at Angus' cage. He then circled around and looked out of the front of the cage (which is what I saw) and seemed rather agitated. About 15 seconds later, Angus starts growling. Initially he's against the far side of his crate from Epic then he lays down in the middle of the crate and continues growling, which gradually decreases in intensity over several minutes. He looks quite calm except he is growling!
The following morning this same thing happened for the first time when they had finished their morning meal. Other than this, the two seemed to be getting on fine. Oddly, there is never a problem when they are left. They are each given a biscuit and I go, but considering they are both loose in the living room there are no squabbles - so it is something just connected with being crated side by side. I still have no idea why Epic suddenly started this lunging, nor why it should be played out in such a ritualistic way each time.
Looking at a solution; moving the crates apart would create new problems as all the dogs automatically go to their own areas - as I discovered when I lost Yogi. I tried to move the remaining two crates into the corner where Yogi's had been but the dogs were still going automatically to the original position of their crates. In the end I had to fill the awful empty space with boxes.
I found a large thick doormat and managed to slide it between Epic's and Angus' crates as a more physical barrier than the blanket. I also broke the pattern of the nightly routine by doing things in a different order and leaving the light on and the covers up until the dangerous period had passed. So far last night that worked and there was no skirmish or growling, hopefully none tonight.
So in the end it apparently turned out to be just a strange fracas between the two - although so odd that it followed the same very consistent pattern every time. I have no idea why it started up either but hopefully breaking the pattern will nip this in the bud. All little fragments that I saw didn't make sense but seeing the whole thing at least revealed exactly what was going on - even if why still remains a mystery.
Thank you for all your suggestions and interest in the Case of the Grr in the Night.
